The one who holds my heart
by Celonhael
Summary: Sesshomaru must travel to the underworld, InuYasha and Kagome must confront the truth.
1. Chapter 1

The demon's roar shot out over the land, as it twisted in anger and fury. It was hungry, and it's prey was so close! The demon opened it's alligator-like snout, long white teeth glinting in the setting sunlight, and roared again at the two children that crouched in the grass, eyes closed, crying. The older child, about 8, hugged his little sister tightly, wishing there were something he could do to save her.

_"WindScar!"_

The yellow energy exploded outwards, carving a deep gouge into the demon, entering and exploding bits and pieces all over the place. With a snarl of fury, it died, goo and gore dripping all over the place.

The two children opened their eyes, peering at the bits of the demon that lay splattered all over the ground before them. The billow clouds of dust startled to settle, and a figure stepped out of the dust.

He was tall - to a child - brilliantly dressed in crimson, long silver hair moving as he walked. He had startlingly bright eyes, golden. A massive sword was carried lightly in one hand.

"Hey, you kids ok?" he called, walking over to them. The little boy noticed dumbly that the man wore no shoes.

The little girl looked up at the man approaching them, and burst into tears. The man in crimson blinked, backing up a step.

The little girl got to her feet and ran to the man, suddenly wrapping her arms around one of his knees, "Oh thank you sir you saved us!"

The little boy walked over to the tall man, trying to look a little more mature about the whole thing - although his heart was pounding and he was sure he had been about to die. He wanted to be able to sit down and cry, too, but he wasn't a kid. He was 8!

"Thank you, sir, for s-saving me and my sister."

"Uh...yeah...you mind...getting her off?" the silver-haired man was lightly wiggling his leg, but the little girl was clinging to him with all her might. The man looked like he wasn't sure if the little girl was going to bite or not.

"Akemi, let him go, you're embarassing us!"

"But I thought I was gonna die!" she wailed, clinging all the harder.

The little boy heard laughter, and he turned to see two people walking towards them now, a man and a woman. One was clearly a monk. The other was a beautiful woman wearing black armor, and carrying what looked like a huge wooden...thing...over one shoulder.

The monk spoke, "You seem to have an admirer, InuYasha."

"Yeah, so I see." InuYasha sounded less than pleased, blinking when the little boy grabbed his sister and yanked her off the hanyou's leg. Akemi sniffled, now clinging to her brother.

The little boy bowed to them, "I am Ryota. Please accept my thanks again for saving us, sir."

InuYasha slid the Tetsusaiga back into it's sheath, and crossed his arms, "Kids shouldn't be this far out, this close to dark. Go on now, get back home."

"Yes sir," Ryota took Akemi's hand, and they turned, running back towards the village.  
Miroku watched them go, smiling, and was about to speak to InuYasha, when the hanyou turned, and took off running. He called back over his shoulder, "I'll see you guys back at Kaede's!"

Miroku blinked, "Where's he off to in such a hurry?"

Sango smiled, "He was on his way to the well when he saw the demon. Kagome should be crossing back any time now."

"Ahh," Miroku smiled, "I wondered why he used the WindScar on such a rather smallish demon. I suppose this way was faster. If...messier."

"Well, you know InuYasha has _never_ had much patience."

"Speaking of InuYasha and patience," Miroku said, turning back towards the village, "Have you seen DarkWind lately?"

"Why yes," Sango nodded, "He's been helping Kaede today with some chores." She fell silent, and looked at the monk, "You're thinking about the other night."

Miroku nodded, "Yes. There was quite obviously some sort of fight between InuYasha and DarkWind. I can only assume DarkWind found out it was Kikyo who fired that arrow. I'm not sure what happened. I know InuYasha would never allow DarkWind to harm Kikyo, but to be honest, I can't see DarkWind wanting to harm Kikyo once he found out who it was."

"Miroku, do you think Kikyo was aiming for DarkWind, or...Kagome?"

Miroku looked at her, startled, "The arrowhead was white jade, Sango. That is what is used to kill Kageri."

"I know, I just...Kikyo's an expert shot with an arrow. I find it hard to believe that she could have missed."

For a while, Miroku said nothing, then he spoke lowly, "Well, DarkWind always liked InuYasha, despite InuYasha's obvious dislike of him. But I _have_ noticed that lately DarkWind seems to have no time for InuYasha. And...I'm afraid it's only time before Kagome finds out."

Sango sighed deeply, "And they finally seemed to be getting close again."

Miroku nodded, "I know."

InuYasha ran through the forest, a flash of crimson and silver. The sun was close to dropping beneath the horizon.

He didn't want to be late.

Despite the hundreds of years that separated the times across the well, the time of _day_ always seemed to match up. InuYasha had never gone through the well, either here to there, or there to here, at one time of day, to come out in a different time.

Kagome said she'd come back at sunset, after she had supper with her family. Today there were no tests, no heavy studying, nothing stressful or unhappy, just a time to spend with her family. She had asked if he wanted to come, but he held off, saying he wanted to get some practice in with Tetsusaiga. In reality, he just wanted her to spend some time alone with her family. She always came back in a good, happy, content mood when she did that, and even though he would have liked to have gone with her, it would be better if he didn't.

Because it might make her _that_ much more likely to listen to him, if the situation ever presented itself.

InuYasha had no plans on letting it drop. Two days ago he had been taken by that crazy group of monks to be a sacrifice...but before that, they had been talking. Him, and Kagome. And he had confronted her about her feelings for him.

They had been interrupted, but despite the fact she insisted there was nothing there, she _couldn't look him in the eye and say it._ She kept avoiding his face, and that, to him, said _so much_. So the very next chance he got, he was going to spring it on her again. And again. He would be relentless, until she finally wore down and admitted there _was_ something there.

So a happy, calm, and content Kagome was a good thing.

He left the woods behind, coming out into the clearing, looking up at the well.

Kagome was already there, sitting on the edge of it, looking up at the night sky.

InuYasha ran up to her, and when she looked down and saw him, she smiled.

"Are you alright?" he called, running up to her, looking her over. She was just sitting there, had she hurt herself?

"Alright?" Kagome blinked, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're just sitting there."

"I thought I'd wait for you." she replied.

InuYasha paused, surprised, and pleased. He looked away quickly, not wanting to show any emotion whatsoever - Kagome tended to balk if she suspected he was feeling anything other than friendship - pretending to look for her backpack.

She laughed, and stood up, "I only have this one little bag." She showed him a white cloth bag, "I bought something for Kaede to thank her for always looking after us."

He waited as she fell into step beside him as they started back towards the village, "You want me to carry that for you?"

"Well...it's _very_ fragile, so be careful, ok? Here, look."

Kagome reached into the bag and pulled out what looked like a round ball of crystal, with a little white castle inside. It was set into a base that looked like mountains, and when she gave it a little shake, tiny white glittery flakes swirled up around it.  
InuYasha peered at it, fascinated, "What is it?"

"It's called a snow globe. You can get all kinds. I saw this and thought it was something she might like. The castle reminds me of something, but I can't quite place it."

Kagome slipped it back into the bag, and handed it to him. InuYasha took it, and kept a good grip on it, not wanting to damage it. They started back again.

"Did you have a good time with your family?"

They crested the little hill, and Kaede's village spread out below them. The little huts were starting to be lit up from within by cooking fires and candles. Kagome smiled as she watched it - it was one of her favourite times of day.

"Yes, I did. They were really surprised I showed up. You could have come, you know."

"That's ok. I wanted to clean up Tetsusaiga, after...you know."

Kagome nodded.

"And how is everyone over here doing?"

"Us? We're fine, as always."

Kagome looked up at him, "How are _you?_"

InuYasha blinked at her, startled. What did she mean? Was _she_ actually bringing up the...

"I mean...about what happened with Izumi," Kagome clarified, seeing he looked confused.

InuYasha looked back to the path, and shrugged, not sure what to say.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" she asked softly.

InuYasha glanced at her, then back to the path, and shrugged again. He didn't even know how to start putting it into words.

Despite what Kagome said, he felt maybe he had had something to do with it. Izumi had never had trouble closing that other portal. So why this one?

"She sent me back," he said quietly.

Kagome looked at him, alarmed. Did he know? How did he find out that Izumi brought him back from the dead? Who told him?!

"W-what?"

"She sent me back from that island, Kagome. I can't get past that. She must have _known_ she was going to die, but _why_? Damnit, why didn't she let me stay and try to help her somehow?"

"But...why...why would she have thought she was going to die? Come on, InuYasha, that makes no sense."

They walked in silence again for a moment. It was dark now, only the faintest sliver of a moon visible. Tomorrow would be the new moon. Kagome could just make out the path ahead of her, down to Kaede's house, but she knew it by heart.

"She told me that she would have raised me after my mother died, if Amaterasu had let her."

He had stopped walking, and Kagome turned, looking back at him. InuYasha was hard to make out in the darkness, and she knew that was why he had stopped there, feeling comfortable in the shadows.

Kagome spoke very softly, "Yeah, I remember you telling me."

"I...a couple of times, I...I actually stopped and thought about that, you know?" his voice was a strange mix of sadness, and a self-mocking sound, as if a part of him still looked upon emotions as a weakness, "I mean, I actually sat there once or twice, and wondered what it would have been _like_ to have been raised by Izumi."

Kagome wanted to sit. She wanted to take him by the hand and lead him somewhere and sit so he could talk. It would be so good for him, to be able to talk it all out.

_I can't help but love you, can I?_

But there _was_ no place to sit, they stood in the middle of a dirt path, and she knew if she took him now and touched him, he'd stop talking about Izumi. He'd throw up walls around that part of himself.

"What do you think it would have been like?" she asked quietly.

She saw his profile shrug, "I dunno, I...it's weird. I mean, I was with my mother for a while, but then I was on my own. I can't imagine being older than I was, and still with someone there. I mean, would she still have worked for Amaterasu? Would I have lived up there, with her, or down here, and stay with someone else for a while when she had to go do something? Would we have lived in a village, or...and..."

"InuYasha?"

" 'Oba Izumi'. It sounds so _weird_."

Kagome said nothing.

InuYasha was quiet for a minute, then shook his head, snorting, "Come on, we look stupid just standing here." He started walking again.

They moved down to the entrance to Kaede's hut, and Kagome startled InuYasha by taking ahold of his sleeve. He blinked at her.

"Listen, InuYasha. Any time you want to talk about Izumi, I'm here, ok? I'll listen."

InuYasha looked at her in silence for a minute. Kagome's other hand was on the door covering, and he knew she was going to step inside, so he just nodded, "Thanks."

Kagome smiled at him, and pushed back the covering, and went inside. He followed.

She awoke, cold. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself, lying on cold stone. It was dark, but a faint reddish glow could just be seen through the tiny opening in the cave wall. It was what amounted to dawn, here.

She knew she was going to have to move. There would be other things starting to move, now, things that slept when it was dark, and moved when it was light. Much the same way she did.

The woman slowly pushed herself up off the stone, feeling the icy chill deep down in her bones. Her arms and legs felt leaden.

That's all there was, here. Extreme cold, extreme heat. The 'nights' were so dark you couldn't see anything, not your hands in front of your face, nothing. She had no way to make a fire, so she had no way of knowing if that would have made any light or not.

Besides...light could bring...things.

There were things that walked in the blackness, things that made horrible sounds.

The first night she had awoken she had fought one of them, something that had latched onto her arm in the blackness, sucking, pulling. A thousand needles dug into her arm, tearing, pulling. She had screamed, and flailed, and picking up something hard and heavy, had battered at it until it left her alone. She had crawled all night in the darkness, until she had found a small, stinking, empty hole to crawl into.

She had no memory of anything.

She didn't know who she was, or where she was. She only knew of awakening here, in this place, alone, frightened. Her simple white shift was soon filthy and marked with slime and worse things she didn't want to think about.

She had found this tiny cave the fourth night, and wedged herself in, blocking the entrance with other rocks and stones. Sometimes things came to the entrance, but anything small enough to get in was instantly brained by a rock.

She was hungry, but couldn't find anything to eat. She didn't want to eat any of the creatures she found there...something told her it wasn't a good idea.

The only water she had found looked fouled and contaminated, and she didn't think it was a good idea to drink that, either, but she was getting so thirsty.

She had learned the second day to pull her hair down inside the back of her shift. It kept getting hooked on things, caught up. Once, something that faintly resembled a human with the legs of a pig and wings had chased her, and had caught her by her hair. It had been screaming something at her, and she didn't think it wanted to talk.

She had fought back, struggling, as it tried to lift her off the ground. The only thing that saved her was that she had fallen over a small cliff, and her hair had been yanked from his grasp - leaving only a small hank in his hand, and she had fallen far enough down that it had lost interest in chasing her.

Landing in something disgustingly rubbery and wet, she managed to flail and crawl her way off and back to the faintly lined path, and made her way back to her cave.

But she was getting desperate. Soon she would have to eat something, or drink something, before she died. She would have to take that chance.

When she got back to her cave, she started picking over some rocks that lay around the cave entrance. Something she could use as a weapon. There were no swords here, no daggers. She didn't know how she knew she could use a sword, she didn't know, just as there were other things that came to her from time to time.

If she knew _why_ she was here, maybe she could get _away_ from here.

Surely she hadn't been here _forever_?

But she had no memory of anything _other_ than here.

Sometimes...at night...when she was curled up in the blackness, listening for the sound of something outside her cave that might try to get in, a rock tightly held in her hand for protection...sometimes...images came to her. Sounds. Faces. Worlds of color and wonder that made her heart hurt with longing. Surely she must have _been in_ those other places, to be able to see them so clearly?

Green fields, with splotches of color that her mind told her were _flowers_.

Small creatures that moved from tree to tree, some dun brown while others were so brilliantly colored, and such beautiful sounds that came from them, things called _birds_.

Younger people like her, _children_, laughing, running, calling. Playing.

A woman with two braids, watching her, always watching, learning, so impatient, _impatient_, but making her laugh, so happy.

Figures with golden eyes and silver hair. One came to her, his hair pinned back, smiling at her, laughing, yet serious, always so serious. A sensation of love and acceptance, and pride. And a beautiful woman with him, smiling, laughing. Holding out her hand. Such feelings of love and _loss_, grief. Why was there such grief around them?

Another face, so like the first, only younger, so much younger. Hair wild, dressed in crimson, no markings on his face. Was this one the first one, younger? So wild, wild. No. The first one was quiet. Sedate. The young one was _not_ sedate. He burned with a powerful spirit, free and yet lost. There was such a feeling of _ownership_ about him. She felt such a need to _protect_, to _guide_. Such an overwhelming desire to hug, to hold, to keep safe from all the hurts of the world. Such feelings of _pride_ at him.

Another face. In between the first two. More like the first than the second. Markings on the face as the first. Long silver hair not as wild. Dressed in white. A strange fur over one shoulder. Eyes were cool, calm, and yet...flickers of emotion in them. Like a brief spark of a fire, before burning out. Images of him turning, looking at her over a shoulder. An amused twitch of an eyebrow. A faint, sardonic smile. Always slow, always measured, always confined.

Such a different feeling for this one. A desire to _guide_, but...a desire to...

Hold. To be held _by_. A need to see that rare smile.

A need for help.

_Help me..._ she thought, as she drifted, images of water in her mind, water lillies and lotus flowers.

Tears filled her eyes, and she let them fall in her grief and fear, loneliness and longing.

_I am not supposed to be here. Please...please...help me..._


	2. Truth and Consequence

He stood on a bridge, overlooking a black river. The river moved sluggishly, like tar, and there were things in it that looked to the Demon Lord like bones. Skulls occasionally came to the surface, gaping eyesockets looking out as if startled to discover where they had ended up. The bridge was nothing more than a stone slab that had fallen or been pushed across the river. This told Lord Sesshomaru that this area wasn't one of the places on the Paths of the Dead where the mindless creatures wandered. There were demons and things that lived in the lands of the Dead, but they were generally mindless and would not have the sense to make some sort of bridge. Like animals, they would either attempt to swim, fly across, or would simply stay on their own side.

Something, or some _things_ that were intelligent lived here.

Good. He was in need of some directions.

Lord Sesshomaru had crossed into the lands of the dead through the portal in the Firelands. The guardians had accepted him the first time as being a person that held sway over life and death, and so never had a problem allowing him re-entry.

When he had approached them, they had stirred, and asked who he was. When he had given his name, they had remembered him, and had started to return to their dormancy.

He had walked through, and found himself upon a different path than the one he had been on before.

Lord Sesshomaru had walked until his feet started to tire, and then took to the air. He found no evidence of life here at all, save a few small demons that skittered out of sight the moment they sensed a hint of his demonic aura.

It hardly mattered. They would not have been able to give him directions anyway.

Leaving the bridge behind, the Demon Lord crested a small rise, and saw, down below, what looked like a shelter made of bones.

The lands here were like no other lands. The ground was made of a compact grey dirt that seemed to hold no scent or track. Plants that grew were stubby and withered looking, and resembled no plant life on earth. Sharp spines jutted from some of them, dripping poison.

There was no 'sky' as such, just a continual grey overcast, that made it impossible to tell if it was just cloudy, or there wasn't even a sky in existance.

Everything smelled burned.

Lord Sesshomaru walked down the path, not surprised when a demon came out of the shelter of bones, holding a long thin sword. It looked like a skinned rat with very long ears, wearing only a dirty lioncloth. It watched him, warily.

Sesshomaru wasted no time, "I seek a woman, a human, whose soul was lost upon these paths some three weeks ago."

The skinned thing paused, looking at the demon lord in surprise. This person did not seem the least bit worried about it, or concerned. It didn't even talk, just started demanding answers.

"Are you able to understand what I am asking?" Lord Sesshomaru spoke again.

"Yes," the thing said, "but you have to pay the toll!"

"Toll?" Lord Sesshomaru looked at the demon.

"To pass upon this path! I am the toll-keeper! If you want to pass, you must pay."

Sesshomaru regarded the creature curiously, "What is the toll?"

"A gold piece, or a bone. One or the other."

Lord Sesshomaru turned, looking along the path. It seemed to continue on, rising over another small hill, and dissapearing down over the other side, vanishing from sight. He turned back to the other demon, "Have you seen the woman I described?"

"I have not seen any such human woman, no. Not here. Though there have been rumors..."

"Rumors?"

"Of a human soul on the paths. We haven't seen a human soul here for hundreds of years. This is not the place for them." The skinned-looking demon regarded Lord Sesshomaru expectantly, waiting for his toll.

"Where would such a human soul go, if on these paths?"

"How should I know? I'm not a human. Humans aren't bound here to one location, the way we are. She could follow the path anywhere, _be_ anywhere. There's no way of knowing."

"This will take far too long," the Demon Lord said, "And is not acceptable. Have you heard nothing of where she was last seen?"

The rat-demon-thing paused, looking closely at Lord Sesshomaru.

Lord Sesshomaru regarded the rat-demon calmly, then spoke, "If you speak true, I will give you many bones."

"Oh? Well then...I have heard from a friend of mine that a rather beautiful-looking human woman, or rather her soul, was seen out in the Blasted Lands. It stood out in his mind, because not even a lot of demons want to live out there. But that's where she was seen. And I doubt there are more than one human woman's soul wandering around here."

"And the Blasted Lands, from here, are?"

"Follow this path, and then always take the right path. You'll pass through many different places, but if you always stay to the right, you'll eventually come to the Blasted Lands."

Sesshomaru turned, and started walking.

"Hey!" the demon-thing called, "My bones!?"

Lord Sesshomaru stopped, not turning back, "Of course. Forgetful of me."

He made a casual motion with his right hand, a long whip suddenly appearing, and shattering the thing's shelter, knocking bones head over heels.

"Nooo!" the demon-thing shrieked, "Those were already mine!"

The Demon Lord was already walking along the path.

The rat-thing howled in anger, and started running after him.

Lord Sesshomaru paused, looking over one shoulder at the demon, "I considered flaying the skin and flesh from your bones, and giving them to you, but I find I am short on time. But if you insist..."

"No!" the rat-demon-thing suddenly slid to a stop, suddenly sensing the power this demon lord was keeping in check. There was a lot more than met the eye...this demon seemed to be a lot _bigger_ than his form seemed to indicate, "No, that's fine! I like it! I can rebuild it better now! Thank you!"

Gritting it's teeth, the rat-demon-thing turned, and ran back to it's shelter, standing over the fallen bones, trying to decide what to do with them.

Lord Sesshomaru walked on.

*****************************************************************  
The day dawned brightly, and Kagome was up before the others. Kaede had been out helping a couple of sick people, and Kagome and Sango had decided to clean up her house while she was gone, to say thank you. It had been so warm last night that they had decided to sleep without blankets, and Kagome decided to taken them down to the river and wash them out, freshen them up. It was going to be a dry, hot day, and she knew they'd dry quickly.

She had asked DarkWind to help her, and they had snuck the blankets out while everyone was still sleeping, taking them down to the river. DarkWind had taken them out to the river for her, and filled a large tub for her, heating the water with his powers. Kagome had added soap, thrown in the thin blankets, and then used the old fashioned way of washing blankets; she had gotten into the wooden tub with her pant legs rolled up, kicking and stepping on the blankets. DarkWind had offered to play something for her to dance too, and she had laughed until she lost her breath.

"Hey, it works," Kagome said to him, "I've seen lots of women doing blankets this way! It's easier than doing them by hand. If they were really dirty I'd have to, but it's been so warm we've hardly been using them at all."

_Though it would be nice to have a washing machine here,_ she thought.

"What is a 'washing machine', Kagome?" DarkWind asked.

Kagome blinked at him, and he startled her by blushing, "Ah, sorry. You do not like it when I hear your thoughts. I did not mean to, truly, you just project so loudly sometimes."

"Well...if I do, then I guess you can't help it." Kagome couldn't help but notice that lately DarkWind had been calling her "Kagome", and not always "Nushi".

"A washing machine is a machine that does just that, it washes." She projected an image to the Kageri, showing him how you put in clothing and soap, let it fill, and took out clean clothing.

He was impressed, "A wonderful invention! You should try to bring one here."

Kagome laughed, "I can't. Not only are they too heavy, but there's no electricity here. Washing clothing in the river isn't hard, not _really_ but blankets are harder. This is sort of fun...though tiring."

"Do you want me to do it for you? You only need tell me, Kagome."

"No, no, it's fine. If I get really tired you can, but for now I'll just keep kicking and stomping."

After several minutes, she jumped out, dumping out the water. DarkWind took the soapy blankets out into the water, and held onto one end, letting the blankets trail out into the current, rinsing them. He then brought them all in to her.

Kagome started squeezing the sheets, but DarkWind made her stop. He handed one end to her, taking the other, and rising up into the air. Kagome laughed as DarkWind suddenly spun in place, twising up the sheet, wringing it out.

"Neat trick!"

DarkWind laughed, sinking back down, handing the sheet to her, and taking another, "This is much faster, Kagome, yes?"

"Yes!"

DarkWind finished each blanket for her, then picked the lot of them up, carrying them back to where Kagome and Sango had strung up clothes lines the day before, "Sango will be so surprised to see we have them all done," she smiled, "She was expecting to help me with these all day."

DarkWind shook out a sheet, and handed it to her. Kagome started stringing one out, and spoke.

"Um...DarkWind?"

"Yes, Nushi?"

"The last few days, I've...been noticing something."

"Oh?" DarkWind took one end of the blanket Kagome was spreading out, and tugged it into place.

"You've been calling me "Kagome" a lot, lately. Instead of "Nushi", I mean."

From the corner of her eye, Kagome saw DarkWind start, and he actually backed up a step. She turned to him, a little surprised to see DarkWind looking shocked.

"Nushi, I..."

DarkWind suddenly bowed to Kagome, his long braid flipping forward, "Forgive me, it is inexcusable! I have not forgotten you are my master, Nushi! A slip of the tongue, I promise you I -"

"DarkWind, wait, stop," Kagome reached out, and took his shoulder, pulling him upright, "Don't. You don't have to apologise. You haven't done anything wrong."

"Yes I _have_, Nushi! To not use your proper title is disrespectful and wrong! I...I am ashamed."

"Well don't be!" Kagome said, looking at him intently, "I never really liked being called "Master" anyway."

"You...you didn't?"

"Not really."

"Then why did you not order me to not use it?"

"That sort of defeats the purpose."

DarkWind's reddish black eyes were upset, "Nushi, you are my _master_. I am your _Kageri_. I cannot be disrespectful to you. It is not _right_."

"DarkWind...look. Why did you start calling me by my name? I mean, you said it was a slip of the tongue, but I don't think your tongue slips very often."

"Nushi-"

"No, DarkWind," Kagome said, "I really want to know. It might mean I did something to upset you or something."

"_Upset_ me!? Nushi, you do not understand. I can-"

"Yes you _can_! Stop talking like you're a hammer or something! You have _feelings_ too! You're always saying that we're bonded, like a pair. Well I'm part of a pair, and I want to be sure I haven't done anything to upset that."

"No, I..." DarkWind looked at her, confused, unable to speak.

"Oh fine," Kagome sighed, rubbing her face. She looked at him sternly, "DarkWind, I _order_ you to tell me why you think you've started calling me Kagome."

DarkWind shifted from one foot to the other, "I...it.."

"Yes."

"It's.._wrong_, Nushi."

"Just _tell_ me."

DarkWind looked at her quietly, and then spoke, "Ever since you accepted me as your Kageri, even though I became Broken...I have...often thought of you, or called you, Kagome, instead of Nushi. I am sorry."

"It's fine. But why?"

"Because...Kagome is a person, while Nushi is Master."

Kagome shook her head, "I still don't understand."

DarkWind thought a moment, looking away, eyes distant, then looked back, and spoke, "Master and Kageri, are _one_." He put down the sheets, and brought his hands together, linking the first two fingers, "I live for Master. Master is the reason I exist."

Kagome nodded, "Go on."

"Kagome is..." he unlinked the fingers, but held both of them up, "Separate."

Kagome watched him, now _she_ was a little confused.

DarkWind tried again, "Master is DarkWind. Kagome is...Kagome."

Kagome blinked.

_He's saying there's no title there anymore. I'm a separate entity to him._

She smiled, "Good!"

DarkWind blinked, and looked relieved, "You are not angry?"

"Why should I be angry!? It means you recognise yourself as a separate person! That's great! You exist outside of me. I think it's wonderful!"

DarkWind looked at her, stunned. It made no sense for a master to be happy his or her Kageri did not consider himself attached so strongly.

Kagome laughed at his face, and spoke, "I'd rather you think of me as Kagome anyway. I mean, if you still slip and call me Nushi from time to time, that's ok. But I'd rather be Kagome."

DarkWind smiled at her, then hastened to explain, "I am still bonded to you, Kagome. We are stil attached. I can still hear you, or understand what you are needing, so do _not_ fear I cannot perform my duties to you!"

"DarkWind...it's ok. Please. Stop being so worried. We've survived this long, I'm sure we'll do just fine from here on."

DarkWind watched as Kagome took another sheet, and shook it out, stretching it out on the line.

_I should explain to her,_ DarkWind thought, _That she does not need to worry I do not still love her. Even though she is no longer 'Nushi' only...I think I call her 'Kagome' now because I can feel she is separate from me...but special. I do not understand how I can still love her, if I no longer have the power of her as ultimate master over me...but I do. That is why she is 'Kagome'. Because I no longer only love her as Master. She is separate, and special._

He opened his mouth to speak, when suddenly Kagome spoke first.

"DarkWind?" she stopped, looking down at the blanket in her hands.

"Yes?"

"Would you...if I didn't order you...would you tell me what you and InuYasha fought about the other night?"

DarkWind suddenly blinked, looking like a deer in the headlights, "Ah...Nushi-"

"DarkWind."

"Kagome. Ah...it is not important, there is no need for you worry yourself. I fear InuYasha-Warrior does not like me for many reasons. It does not bother me." He held out another blanket.

Kagome didn't take it, "Yes, but _you_ have always liked _him_, but now I can sense you _don't_. I'd really like to know what happened."

"I should not have allowed my feelings to intrude upon you in such a manner, Nu- Kagome. Please. Ignore them, they are not important."

"They're important to _me_," Kagome said, "I really, really, really want to know, DarkWind. What did he do that made you so upset with him? Did he try to kill you or anything?"

"No..."

"I don't want to _order_ you, please."

"Kagome-"

"_Please_, DarkWind? It's important to me."

DarkWind looked at her. He wanted to say no, to hide it from her. He knew it would hurt her, and he knew she had finally admitted to herself that she loved the hanyou. If he told her now, it would change all that.

But he heard what was in her tone, too. She hadn't said the word, but she was, in effecet, ordering him. Just by begging, she was ordering. He couldn't say no. And he couldn't lie.

He couldn't.

He tried one last time.

"Kagome...it is between InuYasha-Warrior and myself, there is no need to concern yourself with this."

"DarkWind."

The Kageri looked down at the blankets in his hand, and handed her one end. Kagome took it, and started spreading it on the line.

"We fought over the one who shot you, Nushi."

Kagome blinked at him, "The one who shot me? You mean the arrow? You know who it was?"

"Yes."

"Well, who was it?"

"It was the Priestess Kikyo."

Kagome went very still. DarkWind kept his eyes on the blankets, not wanting to look up at her. But he didn't need to. She was projecting many emotions so loudly, she was like an emotional bull-horn.

Disbelief. Shock. Anger. More disbelief. More anger.

Hurt.

Anger at InuYasha. Great anger.

DarkWind spoke quickly, eyes on the blankets, "The arrowhead was made of white jade, Nushi. The Priestess was aiming for me, not you. You were not her target."

"And that's supposed to be better?" Kagome asked, her voice low and _very_ angry.

DarkWind cringed. He had never experienced Kagome being so angry before.

"Yes, Nushi. The Priestess was doing what she thought was right, ridding this world of a potential hazard. Not shooting another person. Please, do not be angry."

"Not be angry?" Kagome uttered a short laugh, "NO, of course not. She was just trying to kill _you_, that's all. And _you_ think I shouldn't be _angry_."

"I am just a Kageri, that could be dang-"

_"YOU ARE MORE THAN A KAGERI TO ME!"_ Kagome turned, screaming at him, "_Stop calling yourself 'just' anything! Stop it! You're a person! You're my friend and I love you! So stop it!"_

DarkWind stepped backwards, upset. His master was angry. At _him_. "Nushi-"

"If she thinks she's just going to show up and get rid of _you_ she's got another think coming! I won't let her hurt you, DarkWind, I _won't_!"

"Nushi, _please_, do not be angry-"

"Don't you tell me to not be angry!" she yelled again, taking a step towards him, hands curled into fists, "You think I can just accept this? That she was going to try and kill you!? _Don't you tell me to not be angry! Don't you __**dare**__ tell me that!_"

He looked at her, eyes wide, terrified.

DarkWind dropped the blankets on the ground, and fell to his knees before her, bent over, braid trailing on the ground, "Forgive me, I should not have angered you, it was wrong, please, forgive me. Forgive me."

Kagome staggered back a step, the anger draining out of her, shocked, as DarkWind knelt on the ground before her, bent until his forehead touched the ground. She felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her.

"D-DarkWind?"

"Please forgive me, Nushi."

Kagome put a hand to her mouth, eyes wide.

_I forgot. I forgot. He's not allowed to anger me. He lives to serve me. He's not ALLOWED to anger me._

Kagome took a step forward, and was suddenly overcome with shame. She fell to her knees before him, and reached out, taking his shoulders and pulling him up.

He would not meet her eyes, face pale.

"Did I hurt you?" Kagome asked, touching his face, _"DarkWind did I hurt you?_"

"No, Nushi, you could never hurt me, you do not need to worry-"

"DarkWind _look at me_."

Hesitantly, DarkWind looked into Kagome's eyes. He looked frightened.

"Did I hurt you, DarkWind. Honestly. Did I cause you any pain? You weren't punished, were you?"

He looked at her, warring with himself. The Kageri told him to brush it off, to deny everything, to tell his master he was not worth worrying about. DarkWind wanted to set her mind at ease without resorting to the Kageri's submission.

He spoke, "No, Kagome, you did not hurt me. But I am sorry I angered you. It was wrong."

Kagome shook her head, and suddenly hugged him to her, tight.

"No, I was wrong for getting angry at you. I forgot my anger is painful to you, as my Kageri. Sometimes I forget you're a Kageri. It was wrong of me to be angry at _you_, anyway, but it was wrong of me to frighten you like that. Forgive me."

DarkWind lightly touched her shoulders, speaking, "You do not have to apologise, Nushi, I-"

"Forgive me, _DarkWind_."

He paused, and spoke, "I...forgive...you. Thank you, Kagome."


	3. Anger and Confrontation

Lord Sesshomaru left the bridge and the bone shelter far behind, still walking. The land slowly grew colder, and what seemed to be snow appeared in light drifts. It seemed dirty, somehow, foul. A strange smell seemed to come from it as well, faintly like rotten flesh.

It continued to get colder, and soon even the Demon Lord was starting to find it a little chilly. The wind came up, tugging at his hair, his clothing. At one point he stopped, looking around. He wondered if anyone lived in these parts, demons or others. He did not quite trust the demon at the bridge, but he didn't really have anything else to go on at the moment.

These lands were so different from the first time he had crossed over. He had heard someone say once, a long time ago, that the Paths of the Dead changed often, travelling. If so, every time he entered, it was possible he would be in a separate location.

He moved on.

A short time later, the Demon Lord passed from the frozen lands, into a place that looked like a swamp. Ugly growths appeared here, on twisted trees, and a green fog hung close to the ground. Strange things made noises in the undergrowth, but nothing appeared to challenge him. Black pools of putrid water rippled as unknown and unseen things moved in the depths.

The path he took twisted and wove it's way among the stinking pools of water. Lord Sesshomaru walked it's length, keeping clear of the black water. He didn't know what it's properties might be, nor did it want it on his clothing.

He wasn't too concerned about any demons he might meet here. He had already been tested, earlier, and had found his adversaries lacking. The Tensaiga, here, was a formidible weapon. Able to defeat creatures of the dead, it appeared that it was able to take on just about anything living here. At least, he had yet to encounter anything that offered any threat to the Demon Lord.

It was a short time later Sesshomaru heard the sound of water lapping at the shores, and he turned, noticing ripples forming in one of the large lakes to his right. The water lapped quietly at the shoreline, though he could not see anything. Halfway out over the lake, the heavy green fog covered all sight.

Lord Sesshomaru loosed Tensaiga in it's sheath, watchful. Something, either under, or on, the water, was approaching.

The sounds of wooden creaking could now be heard, and a faint glow in the green fog visible.

The glow grew brighter, stronger, until a small bobbing light could just be made out, about 10 feet from the surface of the water. It was round, and seemed to flicker.

Sesshomaru turned, facing the light.

As he watched, a boat slid into view, the round ball of light a lantern hanging from a long pole in the back. A figure stood in the boat, pushing the boat, and itself along, by way of a long river pole. The figure put the pole into the water, and pushed, and with a creak, the boat slid over the black water, splashing.

The figure turned to regard Sesshomaru.

It was a humanoid woman, or at least seemed to be. Tall and slender, in a black robe, the figure had a lovely shape, there being no doubt it was a woman's form. The skin on the arms and hands was pale and seemed smooth. Long green hair hung almost down to her knees. Her lips were red as rubies.

The Demon Lord could not see what color her eyes were, for there was what looked like an iron band wrapped around her face, obliterating her eyes. Rivets on her temples made it apparent this iron band was not removable.

"A newcomer," she spoke, smiling. Her teeth were lovely and white, fangs sharp, "You have the scent of someone from the lands of the living. And yet I sense no fear."

Around her boat, things in the black water swam, flicking small droplets of water.

"I search for a woman," Sesshomaru said, "The soul, rather, of a human woman. I have been told to seek her in the Blasted Lands. Have you seen such a woman in these parts?"

"A human woman's soul? Here?" She smiled, her voice mellow and smooth, "How long do you think such a precious thing would last here? It would have been discovered within minutes, and devoured."

"But not the Blasted Lands?"

Something at the edge of the boat swam. The demonic woman crouched, seeming to look into the water, intent, but she spoke, "Very few things live in the Blasted Lands. If a human soul was going to last any length of time without being devoured, it would be there."

"An easier place to exist, then, yet with the name Blasted Lands?"

The woman's hand shot forward, and she grabbed something from the water. She pulled something small and squealing from the inky depths. It wrapped small tentacles around her hand, struggling. The lovely woman brought it to her mouth, and took a deep bite, inky black ichor splattering out over her face. She devoured the small thing greedily.

Lord Sesshomaru politely waited while she ate.

She stood, wiping her mouth, "An easier place to exist? Not at all. The things that live there, Demon Lord, are powerful and deadly. But there are fewer of them. She may hide for a while, but once she is discovered by one of them, her time is over. I doubt she is alive, even now."

"I see. Thank you for your time." He turned, and started along the path again. Once he was free of the trees in this swamp, he would take to the sky. He could travel faster by air.

"Would you like to dine with me, Demon Lord?" she called after him, "These little things are quite tasty, if you get them fresh. They wiggle so delightfully as you swallow them!"

"I am not hungry," Sesshomaru replied over his shoulder, and continued on.

Kagome and DarkWind had just finished straightening out the sheets, when InuYasha appeared, walking up the hill from Kaede's hut toward where the clothes lines had been strung. DarkWind watched him walking towards them, and looked away, feeling an unfamiliar feeling of anger. Because of him, Nushi had been hurt. Again. When he made Kagome happy, he made her so happy, but when he hurt her...

_I wish I had been able to lie to her. But although I can think of her as a separate person...I still have to listen to her._

Kagome saw him, and instantly her body language changed. DarkWind saw it, and felt it. She stiffened, angry, and not wanting to talk to him.

DarkWind stood up, to approach him, to warn him away, but he heard Kagome tell him in her mind not to get involved. It was nice he wanted to protect her, but no. This was between her and InuYasha.

"Hey, what are you doing?" InuYasha asked, walking up to her, "I thought you and Sango were going to do this today?"

"Well, I decided to start early, and DarkWind helped me," she answered, her voice a little short.

InuYasha didn't seem to hear, just threw a glare in the Kageri's direction, "Yeah, he's real helpful, isn't he?"

DarkWind looked away.

Kagome kept tugging the blankets, smoothing out the wrinkles. InuYasha walked up to her, standing beside her, "What can I do?"

"It's all done, it's fine," Kagome said, finishing.

"There has to be something I can help with," he said, ducking under the sheets on the line. He stood on the other side, starting to tug on the sheet, pulling out the wrinkles.

"I'm done here anyway," Kagome said, "Why don't you go see if Miroku or Sango need help with anything?"

"They don't have anything they need help with. I can help you," he said.

DarkWind felt Kagome's anger starting to grow. She really didn't want InuYasha around her right now. He moved, to speak, but Kagome's mental voice rooted him to the spot. This was between her and InuYasha, not DarkWind.

"I'm fine, InuYasha," she said evenly, trying hard to keep the anger out of her voice, "Why don't you just...go...practice or something."

InuYasha blinked at her, starting to hear the anger in her voice now, "I...don't need to practice. I don't mind helping you. There's other things you need done, right?"

Kagome, on the other side of the sheet, curled her hands into fists, her anger rising, rising.

_Calm. Calm. Don't explode at him. Don't explode at him._

She turned to DarkWind, "Would you take the basket back to Kaede's hut, please?"

"Yes, Nushi, of cou-"

"Why don't _you_ go find Miroku and Sango?" InuYasha said, peeved, to DarkWind, "I can stay here and help Kagome with anything she needs."

InuYasha's anger broke the spell upon Kagome, and her own anger rose to the surface.

DarkWind shook his head, "I stay where my Nushi is."

"She doesn't need you he-"

"InuYasha?" Kagome asked, still hidden from him by the blanket on the line.

"Yeah?"

Kagome's voice was level, "Tell me something. Did you tell Kikyo specifically about the white jade to use to kill DarkWind, or did you just tell her to use anything?"

The silence that followed was shockingly loud.

DarkWind shifted from one foot to the other, uneasy.

From the other side of the sheet came his voice, shocked, "Wh...what?"

"Did you learn about the white jade from DarkWind himself, that time he was telling us about it? Did you remember that, or did you learn it somewhere else? Was it hard to find? It's supposed to be pretty rare, isn't it?"

InuYasha rounded on DarkWind, "You bastard, you had to go and tell her, didn't you?! Did it feel good?!"

Kagome pushed back the blanket, glaring up at him, "Don't you yell at him, he's done nothing wrong in any of this! If you're angry at someone, go find someone else to yell at! I won't let you blame DarkWind for something that's not his fault!"

"_Everything_ is his fault!" InuYasha yelled back, furious, "He shouldn't even be here! He doesn't belong here!"

"He belongs wherever _I_ am! _That's_ where he belongs!"

"He's done nothing but make trouble since he got here!"

"He's saved my life, saved Miroku's life! You call that making trouble, do you? Because I don't! If it wasn't for DarkWind, I would never have learned to control the Shikon!"

"Well you did that, so why don't you send him the hell back?!"

"I'll send him back when I'm good and ready! I have no intention of losing him yet!"

InuYasha sent DarkWind a glare full of death, and then turned back to Kagome, trying to control his anger, "Listen to me-"

"I don't want to listen to you any more. I've had enough of your words. Shut up and leave me alone."

InuYasha reached out and took her arm, _"Listen to me!_ I told Kikyo to leave him alone, Kagome. Because I knew it would hurt you! I saw what happened to you when Naraku took DarkWind, and I told Kikyo to leave him be! I didn't tell her about the white jade - she's a priestess, she already knew!"

Kagome pulled back her arm, breaking his grip, "And what did she tell you when you talked to her that night? Or did you come back because you couldn't find her!?"

"Damnit, are you _ever_ going to listen to me?" he snarled, standing in front of her.

Kagome turned her head, and looked at DarkWind, "DarkWind, was Kikyo there? Did you see her?"

InuYasha made fists, furious, "Don't you ask him when _I'm_ right here!"

"No, Nushi, I did not, but then I returned to you and did not look. I cannot say with any honesty if the Priestess was there or not."

"Godsdamnit Kagome I wouldn't lie to you!"

Kagome bent, and picked up the basket, "No. But you _omit_ a hell of a lot, don't you?"

"Why are you getting so damned angry at me? I didn't fire the stupid arrow!"

Kagome turned and glared at him, "No, but you took off looking for her while I _was lying in Kaede's hut!_ Couldn't even wait a day or two, huh? Scared you'd miss her!?"

InuYasha reached out and grabbed Kagome's arms, pinning her arms to her sides, "_NO! I went because I had told her to leave that bastard Kageri ALONE! I wanted to find out why she still risked it!_"

"Let go of me!"

Kagome shrugged his arms off her, and turned, yanking back the sheet she had shoved to one side.

"Listen to me," he said lowly, upset, "Please. I didn't go running to Kikyo because I wanted to see her. I wanted to find out why she attacked DarkWind after I had told her not to. Kagome, please. That's the only reason."

Kagome shook her head, her black hair swinging, and turned, looking at him. Her face was a little calmer.

He took that as a good sign, and took a step towards her, "That's the only reason I went out there, Kagome."

Kagome sighed, and shook her head, "It really doesn't matter, InuYasha, what you do with Kikyo. It makes no difference to me."

"Kag-"

"You go and be with her all you want. I don't love you, so I don't care."

He started at her, shocked, his stomach feeling like it had plummeted to his feet.

Anger clouded her face, "But don't you ever, _ever_ put DarkWind in danger again. I swear if Kikyo hurts him, I'll hold _you_ responsible. I will never speak to you _again_. Do you understand me?"

Eyes wide, InuYasha stared, shocked, upset. He couldn't believe this was all happening again, "Kagome!"

She turned, and started back towards the hut, moving swiftly, her hair fanning out behind her.

InuYasha stared at her, shocked and stunned. How could it have all fallen apart again so damned _fast_?

Suddenly, fury rose up in him, and he started towards her, "_Kagome! You get back here!"_

She called over her shoulder, "DarkWind?"

The Kageri stirred, looking at Kagome's back, making sure he had heard her correctly. He then turned, and stepped in front of InuYasha blocking his path.

InuYasha's face darkened, his voice low and vicious, "You get the hell out of my way."

DarkWind's voice was calm, but firm, "Nushi has instructed me to tell you you are not to speak to her today. At all. Do not speak to her, and do not approach her. If you do...I am instructed to remove your presence from her."

InuYasha blinked, and made a fist, "You think you're going to stop me from seeing Kagome? You think _anyone_ could stop me from -"

DarkWind said nothing, but his reddish black eyes were bottomless.

"We have already fought once, InuYasha-Warrior. I won. You know I can teleport you any distance away within seconds.  
Please. Do not force my hand."

He turned, and phased out, re-appearing beside Kagome as she walked down to the hut.

InuYasha watched them both, shocked silent, furious, shaking with anger.


	4. Grief and Rebirth

From the air, the Demon Lord got a better view of where he was going. The Path of the Dead wandered wildly over many different terrains and landmasses. There was one entire area that burned, bubbling with hot lava. A heavy miasma of choking gas lay low over the lands, purple and evil-looking. Lord Sesshomaru doubted that poison would bother him, although poisons in these lands would quite likely be very different from what he was used to. Still, either way, it did not matter. He doubted they were what was called the Blasted Lands. Even there, things grew, withered cacti and lichens.

The problem with being in the Lands of the Dead, the Demon Lord reflected, was that he didn't know if anyone was telling him the truth. None of the creatures he had spoken to had any reason to tell him the truth - but they had no reason to lie, either. Other than the enjoyment of knowing they had sent him on the wrong path.

_Is it even possible that Izumi is here? Could a human soul have survived this long in these lands? The woman in the swamp called such a soul a precious thing, something to be devoured._

And yet, if anyone was to survive, I would expect it to be Izumi.

He could help but think, though, about the flaming mountain that had fallen from the sky. That had killed her. And Izumi had been born a human. If she were here, her soul would be only that of a human.

Sesshomaru did not stop to consider why he was coming here, and just what he planned on doing if he in fact found her. It seemed like a harsh measure of justice for the woman who had devoted her life - her incredibly long life - to have been lost here, in this foul place. And yet what did it matter to him?

An image came to him, of holding Izumi in his arms, gently placing her in the water. Watching as the water closed in over her breast, her long hair spanning out in the waves. He felt another strange sensation within him, of having _lost_ something important. He didn't understand it, and considered it. Perhaps it was the fact he had taken her to where she wished to be laid to rest, and now she was not there resting, that bothered him. He, _Sesshomaru_ had placed her there, and she had somehow gone astray. It was as if he placed a book on a table and it had fallen off. It was only natural to pick it up and replace it.

Yes. That was it. That explained his actions.

And yet, what would he do if he encountered her? He could see, in his mind, her annoyance at his interference. She was probably already planning on some sort of action to free herself, and would demand to know what he was doing there. He was almost amused at the thought of her face.

No. Izumi had passed, as all things pass, and he would ensure she moved on to the next world. She was probably looking forward to it, eager to be with his father and that human woman.

As he flew, the landscape below him changed. Looking ahead, he could see where the Path of the Dead now turned into a new landscape, one of barren rock and grey soil. Here nothing lived. There were only a few small puddles that he could see, and they had white, crusty edges; poisoned. The path itself fell away into a faint line on stone.

Surely, this could only be the Blasted Lands.

Below, was what resembled a stone tower, leaning somewhat to the side. Rubble at the base indicated it was in a state of disrepair.

The Demon Lord angled down, and approached.

************************************************************  
The next morning, Kagome slept in. The sheets had dried in plenty of time, and just before supper, Kagome, Sango, and DarkWind had gone out to bring them in. They smelled so wonderfully fresh.

"You shouldn't have done them on your own," Sango protested, "I feel guilty."

"Why?" Kagome laughed, "You didn't force me, I wanted to. Besides, with DarkWind, it was so unbelievably fast. It hardly took any time at all."

"One of my guilty pleasures," Sango laughed, "Is that I _love_ going to sleep in freshly washed sheets, they always smell so _good_."

The women took them down, folding them up to bring them back. Sango glanced at Kagome, and spoke, "I haven't seen InuYasha around today."

Kagome shrugged, feeling guilty, "He's out doing something, I guess."

Sango frowned prettily.

"Didn't he come out with you early this morning? When I saw he was gone I assumed..."

"He came out for a bit," Kagome said levelly, "Then left."

Sango watched Kagome's face, then spoke, "Did...you two fight or something?"

"I wouldn't call it a fight," Kagome closed her eyes, folding up a blanket, "I told him if Kikyo killed DarkWind I'd hold him responsible, and never talk to him again."

Sango blinked, shocked. She turned to Kagome, "You...you know?"

Kagome blinked, turning to Sango, _"You_ know!?"

Sango looked uneasy, "Miroku and I noticed the arrow when it was pulled from your shoulder."

Anger surfaced in Kagome, "And you didn't say anything either. Wow. I have some _great_ friends." She turned back to the blankets.

Sango reached out and took Kagome's hand, "Sister, I didn't want to upset you."

"I'm getting really tired of people not wanting to upset me," Kagome said lowly, "I'd rather they upset me than keep secrets from me."

"It's possible it was another Pries-" Sango's voice died at Kagome's look.

"People are walking on eggshells around me whenever Kikyo comes up," Kagome said, angry, "And I wish they wouldn't. I really don't care about her anymore. InuYasha can go be with her all he wants. It means nothing to me."

Sango sighed softly, "Sister."

Kagome pulled her hand back, "No, Sango. I'm serious. He left, and..."

"Miroku says InuYasha swore to him he went to find out why. InuYasha says he told Kikyo to leave DarkWind alone, that it would hurt you if she hurt him. That was why he went out that night."

"Huh," Kagome's voice was bitter, "How do I even know if I can believe that?"

"He wouldn't lie to you, Kagome. He's never come right out and lied to you."

"It doesn't matter, Sango." Kagome folded the last blanket, putting it on the pile, "But please don't keep these things from me anymore. It makes me feel like an idiot when I find out."

"Why should you feel like an idiot, Kagome?"

"Because I had start...never mind. It's not important."

_Because I had started loving him again. And, Damnit, I still love him. Because I can't __**not**__ love him. But I __**can**__ not __**act**__ on it._

"Anyway, I told him to leave me alone. I didn't want to talk to him, or see him, today. I ... needed my space. And I told DarkWind to enforce that."

Sango blinked, looking over to where the Kageri stood. DarkWind looked back at Sango, a slightly unhappy look on his face, but he nodded, "I will do as my Nushi says, Sango-Beauty."

"Yes, I know you will," Sango said sadly, _That must not have gone over well with InuYasha._

Kagome sighed, putting a hand to her face. She got upset yesterday, and said things she shouldn't have said. But how was she to know he was telling the truth now? How? It was a knee-jerk reaction, to just...explode, and yell, and accuse him of things that probably weren't even true.

_"I don't care because I don't love you anymore!"_

_He probably __**didn't**__ run out to see her. I was hurt. He wouldn't have just...I just lashed out. I wanted to hurt him. I'm a terrible person. I'm really starting to dislike myself. He doesn't deserve to be treated like this, but I just...when I found that out, I..._

She sighed again.

They carried the blankets back to the hut, laying them out where each person slept.

"There," Kagome said, "All ready for tonight."

"Kaede's been gone a while," Sango said, "I hope those sickly people aren't too badly ill. This is a bad time for colds."

"Especially for older people and children," Kagome said, nodding. "Oh, Sango, did you see the gift I brought back for Kaede?"

DarkWind 'sat' on the floor, cross-legged style, hovering about 3 feet off the ground. He looked over at the women, curious.

"Gift?"

"Yeah. I mean, we're always using her hut, and she's always healing us. I wanted to get her something extra special, to let her know how much she's appreciated."

"That's very kind of you, Kagome. What is it?"

Kagome walked over to the corner of the hut, and opened the small cloth bag. She took out the snow globe, and held it out for the two to see.

"That's so _beautiful_," Sango cried, "I've never seen anything like it!"

"It's nice, isn't it? I'll get you one, Sango."

"Oh, no, Kagome, you can't! It must be so expensive, and I couldn't carry such a fragile thing with me for fear I'd shatter it!"

"Well then, when we all get started on your school, I'll buy you one then. You can keep it there."

Sango looked at Kagome, blushing, "My...school?"

Kagome nodded, putting the snow globe back in the bag, "Miroku told me you want to build a school for women, where they can learn a trade, so they can support themselves if they ever have to. Painting, sewing, dancing...I think it's a wonderful idea, and you _know_ we'll all help to make it happen!"

Sango smiled, "Kagome...thank you."

It was then Kagome noticed that DarkWind had gone very quite. He had peered closely at the snow globe, and had stepped back. Now she noticed his face was pale, and he looked almost ill.

"DarkWind?"

"Nushi, may I please be excused?"

Sango and Kagome looked at him, and Kagome spoke, "DarkWind?"

"I just need some air," he tried to smile cheerfully, but failed, "If I may?"

"Uh...yes. Of course. Go."

He thanked her, and left, slipping out through the door covering.

"What do you think that's all about?" Sango asked the other woman, and Kagome shook her head, "I...I don't know. I'm going to go see what's up, ok?"

Sango nodded.

Kagome was able to use their link to follow DarkWind, uneasy at the sensations she was getting from the Kageri. The shock he had felt when she had shown him the snowglobe was strong, but well-hidden. But now, as she walked, she was getting bursts of pain. Grief. Sorrow. Loss.

Worried, she started to run a little faster through the forest, trying to catch up with him. The bursts of feelings she was getting from him came in waves, and she realized with a shock that he was trying very, very hard to keep it from her, to muffle it, mute it down.

She ran out of the brush to find him kneeling on the ground, leaning against a tree, with his arms around himself, back on to her.

He looked like he was in pain.

"DarkWind!? What is it, what's wrong?" she ran towards him.

She felt, through him, a burst of shame. Of anger at himself. Embarassment. That she would see him, her Kageri, like this.

"Never mind that," Kagome said, and ran to kneel before him, "DarkWind, what's wrong?!"

"F-Forgive me, Nushi," he said, head low, his braid running down his back, the very end trailing on the ground, "This is m-most unex-expected of me. I am s-s-sorry -"

"DarkWind, stop. Look at me. What happened? I don't understand."

Not looking up, he shook his head, "Nushi, please, do not concer-"

"Will you look at me!?" she cried.

Steeling himself, DarkWind looked up at Kagome, and she leaned back, shocked.

There were tears in the Kageri's eyes, and as she watched, they escaped to trickle down over his face, "Forgive me," he said.

"Stop asking my forgiveness!" Kagome yelled, upset, "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"BR?  
DarkWind tried to wipe them from his face, embarassed, "This has never happened to me before, Kagome. Ever. I am...most ashamed."

"There's nothing to be ashamed over if something upset you to the point of tears. But please, tell me what happened."

"That gift...the trinket you purchased for the healer Kaede. It...reminded me of something and I...overreacted."

"DarkWind," Kagome reached down, and took one of his hands, and spoke levelly, "If you don't stop putting down what you did, putting it off, trying to shrug it off, I'm going to pull your braid off. Tell me exactly what happened."

DarkWind looked at her for a second, lost. He wiped his face again, and shook his head, but he wasn't refusing her. He took a breath, and then spoke softly, "The castle. Inside the crystal ball."

"Yeah?"

"It...it so resembles the Crystal Spire."

Kagome binked, and then gasped. That was what it had reminded her of. The Crystal Spire, the place Izumi had shown her long ago, when DarkWind had been injured. Broken.  
The Crystal Spire.

DarkWind's home.

"Oh DarkWind," she breathed, feeling so guilty, "I'm so sorry. I never thought...I mean it never came to me why it looked familiar...if I had known I would never have shown it to you! I'm so sorry!"

DarkWind smiled faintly, "It is well, Nushi. You cannot be thinking of your Kageri when you purchase gifts for your friends, it would be foolish. I am concerned about my reaction...I...I have not reacted this way before."

"I told you before," Kagome said softly, "You're more than just a Kageri to me, DarkWind, you're my friend. Of _course_ I would consider you when doing something like this. And...maybe you never reacted this way before...because you've never had the freedom to do it before?"

He studied her quietly, "Perhaps you are right, Kagome. When I became Broken, I...things changed, within me. I have less...restrictions upon me now."

He looked at her again, worried, "I do not think that is a good thing, Kagome."

"Why wouldn't it be? Why would your having some freedom to feel you own things and think your own things be wrong?"

"Because, I...I...I am Kageri."

Kagome squeezed his hand, "You're a _person_, DarkWind. I'm _glad_ you have the freedom to be like this, although I'm so sorry I caused you pain."

DarkWind smiled gently, and squeezed her hand back, "Pain passes, Kagome. It...has just been so very long since I saw the Spire...or anything resembling it."

DarkWind looked down at their hands, and spoke softly, "I...I do not understand. I know it is wrong of me, but..."

A wind came up, pulling at their clothing, rippling the grass around them.

Kagome spoke gently, "DarkWind?"

He shook his head, unable to talk, and she felt the burst of grief again.

Head down, he suddenly spoke, voice broken, tears thick in his voice, "I miss them, so much, Kagome. It has been so long since I was able to think of Mallaki."

Kagome swallowed hard, remembering the elderly woman who had created DarkWind. StrongWind, he had been then, alive, and happy, and surrounded by love and family.

Kagome felt tears pricking her eyes, and she leaned over, putting a hand on his back.

He suddenly sobbed, "I have not been allowed to think of her for so _long_."

"I'm so sorry," Kagome whispered, and pulled him to her, holding him tight.

"How could their gods have hated them so?" he cried, "To have killed them for wanting children? What kind of Gods deny children children of their own?"

Kagome just shook her head, unable to speak now.

"She was so _gentle_," DarkWind wept against Kagome's shoulder, "and so quiet, and she always smiled when she saw me. I always felt her love. Always."

Kagome closed her eyes, feeling tears slip from her own eyes over her cheeks, and she held DarkWind tight to her, rocking him, as he lay against her, and wept.

***********************************************************  
The stone tower, the Demon Lord saw once he landed, was in worse shape than he had thought. There was a huge hole in one side of it, as if it had been punched with some immense object.

A figure stood standing outside the tower, and seemed to be trying to repair it. It was holding some stone in it's hand, and was using something black and oozing from a huge upturned skull of some monster as a bucket to morter the stones in place.

The creature was tall, taller than Sesshomaru, but so thin it seemed skeletal. It was covered in a grey fur, literally from head to toe, making it impossible to tell if it was male or female, although lack of breasts seemed to imply it was male. It turned as Sesshomaru approached, and the Demon Lord saw it had four eyes. Two in the normal position, and two in a verticle line in it's forhead.

"Are these known as the Blasted Lands?" Sesshomaru asked the other demon.

"They are," the grey demon said, and smiled in what was supposed to be a friendly manner. The mouth stretched from ear to ear, and contained nothing but metallic-looking needles, "Blasted, for nothing grows here, nothing survives for long."

Sesshomaru looked up at the tower, then back to the demon, "You live here, I assume?"

"That's right."

"Your tower?"

"Knocked down by Asuotai."

Lord Sesshomaru arched a brow, "Asuotai?"

"Yes. A creature that lives in the Blasted Lands. Every so often, when it passes this way, it knocks my tower aside. And then I build it up again."

"If it knocks down your tower, why do you not kill it?"

"Kill Asuotai?! Are you joking? Nothing can kill Asuotai! Why, he's as big as this tower, maybe bigger!"

"Why, then, do you not move?"

"Eh. I like it here. Asuotai can't leave the Blasted Lands, so when it comes by I just run across the border there, wait until it gets bored, and then come back. Someday I'll move. For now, I'll stay here."

The grey demon regarded Sesshomaru closely, "Can't say as I've seen you here before, and if you'll forgive my saying so, you don't look like you belong here."

"I search for a woman's soul that was lost."

"Ah, her."

Lord Sesshomaru turned, regarding the grey demon closer, "You have seen her?"

"Yes. At least, I can only assume it's her. We don't get very many human souls here, you know. They tend to stand out. She's probably still in there, somewhere, if Asuotai hasn't eaten her."

"I doubt this Asuotai can be of any harm to her."

"Well, if it's the same woman I saw earlier, she was having a hard time against some of the regular customers. Saw her fall over a cliff, once. If she's still alive, it'll be a miracle."

Sesshomaru frowned. That can't have been Izumi, yet could there be two human women's souls here?

The grey demon studied the Demon Lord's face, "Tall woman? Long black hair."

"That sounds like her, yes."

"Well, that's it, then. She _was_ in here, at least as of yesterday. But Asoutai's been around too, so..." the grey demon paused. "What's she doing in there, anyway? Human souls don't belong here."

"That is something I do not know. However, I am here to ensure she continues on to where she belongs. Her arrival here was an accident."

"Well..." the grey demon paused, then spoke, "I'm not sure if you can take her out or not. I mean, this place isn't safe for any humans' souls. Most of the other places have a lot of poisons."

"What matter, if she is already dead?" Sesshomaru asked.

"She can still die, Demon Lord. You can still die here. The problem is that you are reborn here. Where you will die again. In worst conditions. If a human dies in here, they would probably be reborn as some deformed demon, full of pain and bitterness. Death here is worse than death on the human's plane of existance."

Sesshomaru said nothing. He had not been aware one could die on the Paths of the Dead.  
"Well, good luck to you, then. Did you come from the same plane of existance as she die?"

"Yes."

"Well then. All you have to do is touch her. She'll be sent on to wherever she belongs. Touch her skin, and she'll go. Now if you excuse me, I have repairs to make."

Lord Sesshomaru watched as the strange demon turned back to his tower.

It seemed too simple. He wasn't sure if he should listen to this demon or not, but then again this demon didn't seem like the others. It seemed pleasant enough to speak to.

Perhaps it told the truth simply because it did not care one way or the other.

Taking to the air, Sesshomaru found that it was definately easier to travel up here than down there. The rocks that rose over the landscape cut off straight line of sight, which would make it bothersome searching.

He couldn't help but wonder why this Asuotai couldn't leave the Blasted Lands. A curse, perhaps.

Lord Sesshomaru flew above what he first took to be a lrage white hill with grey moss or lichen growing on it. It seemed out of place, and it wasn't until it moved did he realize it was a creature.

Standing on four legs, the back two shorter than the front, it gave the thing a strange, hunched appearance. What he took at first for moss was in fact grey growths. It moved along the path, pushing aside boulders and rocks when it encountered a place it could not fit.

Was this, then Asoutai?

He was not overly impressed.

As he watched, the creature suddenly darted forward, shoving it's blunt head in between two boulders, shoving them aside, snarling.

A scream rang up from below.

Frowning, the Demon Lord dove, levelling out a little above the creature's head.

The creature was unbelievably ugly, with red bulging eyes and a blunt face, teeth bared through black lips. It's nose was upturned, much like a pig's snout. It had no ears that he could see.

Another scream.

Sesshomaru looked down, searching for the source of the scream, and was startled to see her.

Izumi.

The woman wore only a simple white shift, sleeveless, ending just above her knees, and it was indescribably filthy. Her long black hair was snaggly and snarled. She was scrambling over some rocks, attempting to make it to what looked like a tony hole in a cliffside. Blood dribbled down one arm.

Asoutai lunged forward, snapping, and the woman screamed once more, managing to dart inside, shimmying like a worm, until her feet vanished from sight.

Asoutai was not to be deterred, and he forced his way in through the smaller hills and boulders, reaching out with one human-like hand, long claws ending in needle-like points. It shoved it's claws into the tiny opening, and started to pull.

A loud snap retorted through the area, as a long crack suddenly appeared leading from the hole.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes.

The woman pulled in her feet, sobbing in fear, as the claws slid into the tiny cave, just missing her. They raised, bracing themselves on the roof of the cave, and started to pull. Suddenly there was a horrible grinding, snapping sound, and she saw a long crack appear, letting in light, dust and debris falling from the roof on top of her.

It was going to literally pry the cliffside apart, and then it would have her.

She screamed again, throwing her hands over her head as more dirt showered down on her, rocks the size of fists raining down on her back and legs.

There was a loud howl, long and deep, and the claws suddenly retracted, tearing back out of the tiny cave. A deep growl, snarling.

The woman stayed still, terrified to move. Shadows played back and forth across the entrace to her cave, great snarling and howling.

Terrible sounds, growling, grunting. Thuds of impact.

An awful impact set the cave shuddering again, the crack widening. The woman huddled, terrified the cliff was going to come down on top of her. She knew she couldn't stay there. As deadly as it was outside, it would be worse inside. Outside she still had a chance.

She crawled to the small hole, and made her way out, stopping, and looking, and staring.

The ugly, giant creature that had chased her into her hiding hole, was fighting with another massive creature.

This one looked like a canine, huge and silver. A lavender crescent moon stood out on it's head, and it's eyes were red.

As she watched, the silver canine reared back on it's back legs, driving forward into the other thing, sinking it's teeth deep into the shoulder. The other creature turned, snapping savagely at the canine, but it's face was too blunt, too short. It could not find anything to grab ahold of.

The canine dug in it's feet, pulling backwards on the creature, shaking it savagely, much the same was a terrier will shake a rat, trying to kill it. The creature was much larger than a rat, though. The canine's teeth tore at the creature's flesh, and a green blood flowed.

The creature turned, pulling away from the canine, it's flesh tearing free, shredding. Now free, it turned, lunging at the canine.

The canine lunged backwards, long teeth bared, darting away from the sharp teeth of the thing. When it landed, it powered forward again, kicking aside boulders and rocks. Faster, the silver canine ducked under, and came up beneath the creature, locking it's jaws around the creature's throat.

The creature struggled, fighting, shaking itself, trying to get away, diggin git's feet into the gronud. But the silver canine kept a tight hold, crushing the throat of it's opponant.

Slowly, the larger creature began to shiver, it's legs trembling, as air was cut off. It gasped, choking, shuddering, grunting in anger, and confusion. It had never faced anything it's own size before, and certainly had never lost before.

With a great crash, the creature toppled, falling, shattering boulders and rocks as it fell, clearing back a path of debris as it went. The ground shuddered when it fell.

The giant canine lifted it's head, and howled in victory, it's call ringing out clear across the Blasted Lands.

The woman crouched, huddled behind one of the giant boulders, watching warily. Her gaze moved from the canine to the dead creature, and back, again and again, not trusting either of them.

As she watched, the canine turned, and looked straight at her. Then it started to move towards her.

The woman gasped, and turned, darting towards the only shelter she had. The hole was still small enough to keep such a thing out, and hopefully it wouldn't have the brute strength to tear it open as the first had been about to do.

The giant canine did not have the strength of the creature, but it had more speed. With one leap, it cleared her easily, landing between her and her small cave.

She gasped, staggering backwards, falling back against a boulder. She crouched there, arms up before her face, huddled, sobbing. The shadow of the beast fell over her, and she cringed.

She waited to feel the teeth, to be grabbed, ripped open, devoured.

Seconds seemed like hours, minutes like years. Her body screamed to run, to bolt, but where was there to run?

"Izumi."

The woman did not lift her head.

"Lift your head."

She shuddered, and slowly, hesitantly, lifted her head.

A man stood before her, tall and slender. Golden eyes regarded her curiously, long silver hair falling down his back. There was a lavender crescent moon on his forehead.

She realized two things at once; that this person had somehow been the giant canine, or had at least controlled it, and that this man was the one she had seen in her mind.

Slowly, she lowered her arms, staring at him.

Sesshomaru watched her, feeling oddly uneasy. It was Izumi, yes, but...what had happened? She was filthy, and injured. Her hair was an utter mess. There was a look of fear, of panic there that he had never seen before. She looked so shockingly _helpless_ that he felt both alarmed and annoyed.

Tears stood in her dark eyes, diamond bright, as she regarded him from where she sat on the ground. She suddenly smiled, startling him completely, her voice soft, "You heard me when I called."

Sesshomaru watched her, unknown and unfamiliar emotions swirling around inside him. Not only did Izumi look like a typical human, she looked _worse_ than one now. Dirty and helpless and frightened. And yet the look she was giving him now, of utter _joy_ at seeing him made him feel odd. Never before had he ever seen anyone look at him in that manner - well, save for Rin, but she was a child - joy and happiness and relief, and...something else? Something he could not identify and yet it seemed so close within reach...

"You called me?" he asked, his tone level.

"Yes," she said, her voice tired, but soft, and awed, and softly joyous, "In the darkness. You were the light in the darkness."

Sesshomaru continued to watch her, not understanding what he was feeling. Her words made no sense.

Suddenly, he remembered being by the river, and the water pooling, rising up, forming a figure.

"At the water," he said lowly, his eyes widening slightly as he watched her.

"Yes," she smiled at him, full of joy, "Near the flowers."

He studied her in silence for a moment, then spoke, "Are you badly injured, Izumi? And why were you not able to defeat that creature?"

"Izumi? Is that who I am?"

Sesshomaru regarded her, now openly shocked. She didn't know?

"You do not know who you are?"

"No."

"Yet how could you have called me?"

"Your face was in my thoughts," she said softly, "I remembered your face."

The Demon Lord stood, calm on the outside, yet a malestrom of confusion and emotion inside. If she did not remember who she was, how could she have remembered who _he_ was? His face, in her thoughts? Even here?  
The Demon Lord was suddenly alarmed to discover he wanted to bring Izumi back from the Paths of the Dead. Bring her back through the portal. He did not wish to see her gone.

_Foolishness_, he said to himself, angry, _Her time has come. Everything passes, even Izumi. Why should I, Sesshomaru, attempt to bring her out? If she can not remember who she is, what is the point? Look at her. That is not the Izumi you remembered. That Izumi was quiet and full of decorum. Never would she have cringed on the ground in such a manner. Why bring her back to such a pathethic human life?_

A voice reminded him that Izumi had been born a human. She had grown to more, yes, but was the _Senmin_ Izumi the true one, or this one?

_It makes no difference. I came to return her to the Afterlife, and so I shall._

He walked to her, and went down on one knee. She watched him, quiet, and he was disturbed to see her eyes were still as beautiful as they always had been.

"It is time for you to leave this place."

"Leave? Good, I...do not like it here," Izumi shivered, "Where am I going?"

"To a far better place."

"Will you be there?" she asked.

"No. But there will be others, one alike me. There you will be cherished, and loved."

She watched him, confused, as he reached out, and gently touched her cheek, "Now go, and be at peace... and stay there."

She closed her eyes, and suddenly shimmered. Under his touch, it felt as if she turned into warm light, vanishing. She seemed to turn into a million small colored lights, scattering to the four corners, and was gone.

The Demon Lord slowly stood. He gazed at his hand for a moment, as if remembering the touch, and then turned, heading back towards the portal. He ignored he odd, heavy sensation he felt inside.

Far in another place, a storm raged over the ocean, flinging up heavy spray. It was night, heavy clouds, and black as ink.

The waves kicked up froth, churning.

Deep below, she opened her eyes.

Her first sensation was fear.

_I'm drowning!_

It was only luck that saved her. She kicked, panicking, and started to rise up from the bottom.

She kicked in the direction she was rising, but her clothing was wrapped around her, trapping her legs, her feet, hindering her arms.

She tore at her clothing, shedding first one layer, and then another as she rose. Her lungs screamed for air. All around her was blackness, blackness, blackness.

Another layer was fought off, and then the last, the frigid water assaulting her skin.

After what seemed like a lifetime, her head broke the surface of the water, and she pulled in great whooping gasps of water, half screaming in madness and fear.

Waves broke over her head, winds screaming, tearing at the water, and she cried out, terrified.

There were lights on the shore, fires, and she turned, striking out in that direction.

It was a fisherman who had been out checking on his boat who first saw the woman, walking naked from the sea. Her long black hair, dripping wet, flapped in the chill wind, whipping both herself and anything near by. She was very tall for a woman, her skin fair.

She left footprints in the sand as she walked, staggering. The wind attacked her naked body. Slowly, she bent, as if unable to hold up her own head anymore, and she fell, crashing to the sand to lie, senseless.

The man called for help, running towards her. He knelt beside her, shaking her shoulders, calling out to her.

Eyes rolled under lids, she shivered violently.

"She's in trouble!" one the men called. An older woman ran into her hut and brought out a blanket. She ran to the woman and draped it over her, pulling her upright.

"Lady? My Lady, can you hear me?"

Eyes opened slowly, deep shivering starting to take hold of the body. Sand coated her skin and hair.

"What happened, my Lady? Were you lost overboard?"

She woman shook her head, unable to speak. Her teeth chattered.

"She walked out of the water!" the fisherman said. A crowd was starting to gather now, watching, talking.

"Don't be a fool, she can't have," a woman called.

"No?" the fisherman called, and pointed to the line of footprints that issued from the waves. Everyone fell silent, and looked back to the woman.

An older woman was helping her to her feet, "Come on, then, we have to get you inside, get you warm. That water is cold tonight."

Carefully, she helped the woman walk towards her hut, "What's your name, then? How did you get here? I've seen no boat."

The tall woman shook her head, "I...I don't know who I am," she said, her voice water-roughened, "Or how I got here. I woke up in the deeps, and swam here."

"She's a water spirit!" one of the men called out.

The old woman made a rude noise, rolling her eyes, "Men. Come on, then. Inside. This is no place for ladies."

The tall woman dissapeared inside the hut, and the villagers gathered, to stare at the line of footprints in the sand, until the waves came and washed them away.

END


End file.
